Common Workflows

Real-world setups for stage, studio, and practice sessions.

Stage Performance

Single Keyboard to Multiple Synths

Goal: Split your controller across multiple hardware synths with different zones.

Setup:

1. Create 3 routes from your controller:

   • Route 1: Bass synth (channels 1-2, notes C1-C3)
   • Route 2: Lead synth (channels 3-4, notes C4-C6)
   • Route 3: Pad synth (channels 5-6, notes C3-C5)

2. Add Note Range Filter transforms to each route:

   • Bass: min=36 (C1), max=60 (C3)
   • Lead: min=60 (C4), max=96 (C6)
   • Pad: min=48 (C3), max=72 (C5)

3. Add Transpose if needed to match synth octave preferences

Result: One keyboard controls three synths, each responding to a different note range.

Backup Routing

Goal: Send your performance to both your main synth and a backup.

Setup:

1. Create 2 routes from your controller:

   • Route 1 → Main synth
   • Route 2 → Backup synth

2. Add Channel Map to Route 2 if backup synth uses different channels

Result: Redundancy. If main synth fails, backup is already receiving MIDI.

Studio Integration

DAW Multi-Track Recording

Goal: Record one keyboard performance to multiple DAW tracks with different processing.

Setup:

1. Create virtual ports in Settings → Virtual Ports:

   • "Track 1 - Clean"
   • "Track 2 - Transposed"
   • "Track 3 - Velocity Scaled"

2. Create 3 routes from your keyboard:

   • Route 1 → Track 1 (no transforms)
   • Route 2 → Track 2 (Transpose +7)
   • Route 3 → Track 3 (Velocity Scale 0.6)

3. In your DAW, create 3 MIDI tracks receiving from those virtual ports

Result: One performance, three variations recorded simultaneously. Adjust balance in post-production.

iOS Audio App Chain

Goal: Chain multiple iOS synth apps on iPad.

Setup:

1. Route 1: Controller → Synth App A
2. Route 2: Synth App A MIDI Out → Synth App B
3. Route 3: Synth App B MIDI Out → DAW

Add transforms between apps to shape the signal as it passes through.

Result: Complex processing chain with visual feedback at each stage.

Practice & Jamming

Layered Sounds

Goal: Play one note, hear multiple synths in unison.

Setup:

1. Create 3 routes from your keyboard to 3 different synths

2. Add Transpose to create chord layers:

   • Route 1: +0 (root)
   • Route 2: +4 (major third)
   • Route 3: +7 (perfect fifth)

3. Add Velocity Scale to balance volumes:

   • Route 1: 1.0 (full)
   • Route 2: 0.7
   • Route 3: 0.5

Result: Instant chord voicings from single notes. Adjust transpose values for different intervals.

Generative Accompaniment

Experimental, not in this release

The AI Companion (Elm) is excluded from App Store builds by default in this release. This workflow describes development-only behavior.

Goal: Your playing triggers AI-generated accompaniment.

Setup:

1. Route 1: Your keyboard → Your main synth (your performance)
2. Route 2: Your keyboard → AI Companion → Pad synth (generated pads)
3. Route 3: Clock source → AI Companion (tempo sync)

Enable the AI Companion in Settings → Advanced → AI Companion.

Result: AI listens to your playing and generates complementary parts in real time.

Advanced Routing

Clock Distribution

Goal: Sync multiple devices to one master clock.

Setup:

1. Settings → Clock → Enable Clock Generator
2. Set tempo (e.g., 120 BPM)
3. Create routes from "Internal Clock" to each device:
   • Route 1 → Sequencer A
   • Route 2 → Sequencer B
   • Route 3 → Drum machine

Result: All devices play in sync. Adjust tempo in one place, affects all.

Bluetooth MIDI Performance

Goal: Wireless controller to iPad with minimal latency.

Setup:

1. Pair Bluetooth MIDI device (Settings → Bluetooth → Scan)
2. Create route: Bluetooth Device → iOS Synth
3. Monitor latency in Route Editor (should be <20ms for good Bluetooth)

Add Latency Compensation transform if needed (Advanced).

Result: Wireless freedom without cable clutter.

Template Profiles

Save these as profiles for quick switching:

• Live Rig — Stage routing with zones and backups
• Studio — DAW multi-track setup
• Practice — Simple one-to-one routing
• Jam Session — Layered sounds and effects

Settings → Profiles → Save Current As...

Tips

• Name your routes — "Bass Zone" is clearer than "Route 1"
• Name your channels — Add descriptive labels in source config for clarity
• Group by purpose — Stage routes together, studio routes together
• Test offline — Use Virtual Keyboard to verify routing without hardware
• Monitor latency — Keep routes under 5ms for live performance

Next Steps

• Keyboard Split Guide — Detailed zone-based routing
• Multi-Synth Routing — Complex multi-destination setups
• Transform Types — Full catalog of available transforms

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Share Your Workflow

Have a clever routing setup? Experiment with these patterns and adapt them to your own studio workflow.